Ski scooter



May 16, 1967 M. i. THOMAS ETAL SKI S COOTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.19, 1965 PEG. 4

l NVEN '1 UKS. MORTON f. THO/WAS EFRTRANO R. 61535 .4 7' TOR/WE)? SKISCOOTER Filed Aug. 19, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .974 INVENTORS.

MORTON I. THOMAS 524 30, 30' .30 30,4 BERTRAIVD RLESSER FIG. 6 BY W W AT TORNE Y.

y 1967 M. THOMAS ETAL 3,319,971

SKI SCOOTER Filed Aug. 19, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 30A [34 Wit 1!!INVENTORS. 1 ,V fi 9 MORTON I. THOMAS BERTRAND R. LESSER FIQIB UnitedStates Patent 3,319,971 SKI SCOOTER Morton I. Thomas, Bakertown Road,Monroe, N.Y. 10950, and Bertrand R. Lesser, 24 Stonewall Lane,Marnaroneck,N.Y. 10543 Filed Aug. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 480,876 12 Ciaims.(Ci. 28(l16) This invention relates to a ski scooter.

An object of this invention is to provide a ski scooter of an improveddesign wherein the scooter is very light and easy to handle, yetexhibits high strength and resistance to deformation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a ski scooter formed ofmetal tubing which lends itself to economies in manufacture andassembly; provides excellent stability in use and is of minimum weightto facilitate handling, usage and storage of the same.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ski scooter embodyingthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 99 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a partial bottom plan view showing the stop means for thesteering section of the ski scooter;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line 1111 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 1212 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 13 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line Iii-13 of FIG.1; and

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken on the line 14-14 of FIG. 3.

Essentially, the ski scooter of the instant invention comprises a seatsupporting section and a steering sec tion in articulated relation tothe seat supporting section; each of the sections being formed of lightmetal tubing in a novel form of construction.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the ski scooter embodying the invention,generally indicated at 10, comprises a seat supporting section 11 and asteering section 12 articulated to section 11. Each of the sections isformed of light metal, such as aluminum or aluminum alloy tubing ofpolygonal section, and preferably of square cross section, as indicatedin FIGS. 5, 6.

For the purpose of illustration, the seat supporting section 11 is shownas made up of five square section tubings 13, the outermost tubingsbeing indicated at 13A; said tubings being tightly secured together inside by side relation, by an internally threaded collar 14 extendingthrough aligned openings in the side wall portions of the tubings 13,the opposite ends of said collar 14 being disposed immediately adjacentthe outer side walls of the tubings 13A and a pair of screws 15extending through openings in said outer side walls of tubings 13A andthreaded into collar 14. Such interconnecting means is provided atsuitable intervals along the longitudinal extent of the laterallyrelated tubings.

The seat supporting section 11 includes a horizontal snow and icecontacting portion generally indicated at 16, and a connector portion 17extending forwardly of portion 16; said portion 17 being bent inupwardly offset relation to portion 16 so as to overlie a portion ofsteering section 12 as later described.

A flat seat member 13 is mounted in a horizontal position on seatsupporting section 11; the same being supported by extensions of theouter tubings 13A which are bent to provide upwardly and forwardlyinclined portions 19 and forwardly extending portions 20 which contactthe underside of seat member 18. Screws 21 and nuts 22 connect member 18and tubular portions 20, FIG. 12. The forward ends of tubular portions20 are bent to bring ends 23 toward each other at a spacing to receivetherebetween the upper end of a tubular post 24 in an upstandingposition; a rivet 25 interconnecting post 24 and tubular ends 23. Thelower end of post 24 includes a right angle portion 26 which is securedto tubing 13 by suitable means such as a screw 27, blind rivet or thelike.

As indicated in FIG. 1, the rear ends of intermediate tubings 13terminate immediately after being bent to provide relatively shortforwardly and upwardly inclined portions 23 disposed between inclinedportions 19 of the outer tubings 13A.

The steering section 12, also made up of square cross section tubings36, similar to tubings 13, 13A; which are held together by screws 15 andcollars 14, as previously described; includes snow and ice contactingportion 31 which underlies portion 17 of the seat supporting section 11.Extending from the forward end of portion 31 are bent portions 32inclined forwardly and upwardly, from which extends a steering postportion 33 inclined rearwardly and upwardly. The outermost tubings 30Aterminate at the lower end of steering post portion 33, FIG. 1, and ahandle bar 34 is secured to the upper end portions of post portion 33 bya screw 35 threaded into a tapped opening in block 36 fixed in the openend of a tubing 30, FIG. 11. The tubings 30 are further interconnectedby a cross rivet 37, FIG. 13.

Means is provided for articulating sections 11, 12 and to this end, apivot screw 38 having a square shank 39 is passed through a squarecentral opening 40A in a disc 40, shank 39 extending through an oversizecircular opening 41 in the top wall of tubing 13, and an opening 42 inthe bottom wall thereof and thence through an opening 43 in a tubing 30and then threaded into a nut 44 within tubing 30. The disc 40 is thenblind riveted to tubings 13, as at 45.

Bearing means is provided to reduce friction between the varticualtedsections 11, 12. To this end, a flat bearing strip 46 is fixed to theflat underside of tubings 13, 13A of portion 17 of section 11, as byrivets 47, thus disposing bearing strip 46 in sliding contact with theupper surfaces of tubings 30, 30A of section 12, FIG. 8. A secondbearing strip 48 is located forwardly of strip 46 and is secured to thetop surfaces of tubings 30, 30A of section 12, as by rivets 49; strip 48having an opening to pass pivot screw '38, FIG. 6. Thus a second bearingposition is established between sections 11, 12. Bearing strips 46, 48may be formed of nylon or the like.

Means is provided for limiting the angular movement of the steeringsection 12 relative to section 11. T 0 this end, a stop member in theform of a collar 50 is secured in depending relation to medial tubing 13of section 11, as by a rivet 51. The rear terminal ends of intermediatetubings 30 of section 12 at portion 31 thereof stop short of theterminal ends of tubings 30A, thus providing a space between tubings 30Ato receive stop member 50 which will be 'abutted by the inner sidesurfaces of tubings 3 30A, as steering section 12 is manipulated byhandles 34A on handle bar 34, FIGS. 9, 10.

It has been found that ski scooter may be used most efiiciently with theflat bottom surfaces of tubings 13, 13A and 30, A of sections 11, 12making good contact with the snow and ice. The limited steering affordedby steering section 12 is adequate for the purpose, taken together withthe usual manipulation of such ski devices.

To stabilize the ski scooter, plates 52 are secured to the outer tubings13A of section 11 and tubings 30A of section 12, as by rivets 55. Plates52 are preferably located at the rear of portion 16 of section 11, whileplates 52A are disposed at the juncture of portions 31, 32 of section12, FIG. 3. The bottom edges of plates 52, 52A project slightly belowthe bottom surfaces of tubings 13A, 30A, so as to exert a grippingaction on ice or the like.

The open ends of tubings 13 and 30A are sealed and finished by means ofplastic caps 55 having portions thereof inserted into said tubing endsand frictionally retained therein.

As various changes might be made in the embodiment of the invention asherein disclosed without departing from the spirit thereof, it isunderstood that all matter herein shown or described shall be deemed asillustrative and not by way of limitation except as set forth in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ski scooter comprising a rear section, and a front section inarticulated relation to said rear section, each of said sectionscomprising a plurality of metal tubings in side by side relation andmeans for securing said tubings together, seat means on the rear sectionand means for supporting said seat means comprising extended portions ofselected ones of the tubings forming said rear section; said frontsection including handle means; said rear section including a forwardlyextending and upwardly offset portion overlying a rearwardly extendingportion of said front section; and pivot means interconnecting theoverlying portions of said front and rear sections.

2. A ski scooter as in claim 1 wherein said seat support means comprisesextensions of the outermost of the tubings forming said rear section,said extensions comprising upwardly and forwardly inclined portionsextending from the rear end of said rear section and forwardly extendinghorizontal portions extending from the top ends of said inclinedportions, said horizontal portions underlying said seat means, and meansconnecting said seat means and said horizontal portions, and uprightpost means connecting a forward portion of said seat means and a midportion of said rear section.

3. A ski scooter as in claim 1 and further including a bearing striplying between opposed portions of the articulated portions of said frontand rear sections, and means for securing said bearing strip to one ofsaid sections.

4. A ski scooter as in claim 1 and further including means for limitingthe angular movement of said front section relative to said rearsection.

5. A ski scooter as in claim 4 wherein said means comprises a stopmember depending from the underside of a mid-portion of the forwardlyextending portion of said rear section, the intermediate tubings formingthe rearwardly extending portion of said front section terminating shortof the outer tubings thereof whereby inner surface portions of saidouter tubings can abut said stop member upon angular movement of saidfront section relative to said rear section.

6. A ski scooter as in claim 1 and further including stabilizing meanson said front and rear sections, said stabilizing means comprisingplates secured to the outer faces of the outer tubings forming saidfront and rear sections, said plates having their bottom edgesprojecting slightly below the bottom surfaces of the tubings of saidfront and rear sections.

7. A ski scooter as in claim 1 wherein said tubing securing meanscomprises screw and collar means extending transversely of said tubingsfor gripping and locking the laterally related tubings together.

8. A ski scooter comprising a pair of articulated sections, saidsections comprising a forward steering section and a rearward seatmounting section, each of said sections being formed of a plurality ofmetal tubings of polygonal cross section arranged in side by siderelation to provide substantially continuous flat bottom surfaces andflat top surfaces, means for securing said tubings together, the tubingsof said steering section comprising horizontal portions, upwardly andrearwardly inclined steering post portions and transverse handle meanssecured to the upper ends of said steering post portions; said seatmounting section having its tubings including rearwardly disposedhorizontal portions in longitudinal alignment with the horizontalportions of said steering section, forwardly disposed horizontalportions in upwardly offset relation to said rearwardly disposedhorizontal portions and overlying said horizontal portions of thesteering section, pivot means interconnecting said overlying horizontalportions of said steering and seat mounting portions, means on saidsections for limiting the steering range of said steering section, seatmeans on said seat supporting section, and extended portions of thetubings of the horizontal portion of said seat supporting section beingbent into positions for engaging the underside of said seat means, andmeans for securing said seat means to said extended portions of saidtubings.

9. A ski scooter as in claim 8 and further including an upright tubularmember interconnecting the horizontal portion of said seat supportingsection and said seat means at a forward portion thereof.

10. A ski scooter comprising a rear seat section and a front steeringsection, means for pivotally connecting said sections together, eachsection comprising a plurality of metal tubing members of quadrangularsection in laterally disposed abutting relation, means for securing saidtubing members together to provide each section with substantially fiatbottom surface portions, selected tubing members of said seat sectionhaving upwardly extending portions, seat means secured to said upwardlyextending portions of said selected tubing members, selected tubingmembers of said steering section having upwardly extending steering postportions, and handle bar means mounted on the upper ends of saidsteering post portion.

11. A ski scooter as in claim 10 wherein the selected tubing members ofsaid seat section are the opposite, outermost tubing members of saidseat section; and the selected tubing members of said steering sectionare tubing members intermediate the opposite, outermost tubing membersof said steering section.

12. A ski scooter as in claim 10 wherein said pivot connecting meanscomprises a pivot screw, means for nonrotatably mounting said screw in atubing member of said seat section at a forward end portion thereof, nutmeans fixed in a tubing member of said steering section underlying saidtubing member of the seat section for receiving the lower end portion ofsaid pivot screw, and coacting means on the rear end portion of saidsteering section and the forward end portion of said seat portion forlimiting the pivotal movement of said sections relative to each other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,264,490 4/1918Crowe 28016 1,462,889 7/1923 Slater 28016 2,241,733 5/1941 Perry 280-212,926,364 3/1960 Cox 28011.13 X

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

L. D. MORRIS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SKI SCOOTER COMPRISING A REAR SECTION, AND A FRONT SECTION INARTICULATED RELATION TO SAID REAR SECTION, EACH OF SAID SECTIONSCOMPRISING A PLURALITY OF METAL TUBINGS IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATION ANDMEANS FOR SECURING SAID TUBINGS TOGETHER, SEAT MEANS ON THE REAR SECTIONAND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID SEAT MEANS COMPRISING EXTENDED PORTIONS OFSELECTED ONES OF THE TUBINGS FORMING SAID REAR SECTION; SAID FRONTSECTION INCLUDING HANDLE MEANS; SAID REAR SECTION INCLUDING A FORWARDLYEXTENDING AND UPWARDLY OFFSET PORTION OVERLYING A REARWARDLY EXTENDINGPORTION OF SAID FRONT SECTION; AND PIVOT MEANS INTERCONNECTING THEOVERLYING PORTIONS OF SAID FRONT AND REAR SECTIONS.